Fertilizer-distributer.



W. W. CAMERON. FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTEB. APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1910.1,093,826; Patented Apr. 21, 191 1 5 SEBIIFT$SHEET 1.

W.- W. CAMERON. FERTILIZER DISTBIBU'IEB. APPLICATION 2mm JULY14, 1910.

W. V". CAMERON. FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 14I 1910.N 1,093,826. Patented Apr. 21, 19m

5 $HEETS-SHEET 3.

W. W. CAMERON. FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1910.

1,093,826. Patented Apr. 21', 1914 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W. W. CAMERON. FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER. APPLICATION F'ILBD JULY 14, 1910.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914,

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

WILLIAM W. CAMERON, OF

LA GROSSE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGQVOB, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TOEMERSON-BRANTINGHAM COMPANY, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, A. COR!- YORATION OFITJLINOIS.v

' Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed. July 14,, 1910.Serial no. 571,985..

Patented Apr.'21, 1914i.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I,NVILLIa1\r W. CAM-- ERQN, a resident of La Grosse, inthe county of La Crosse and State of Wisconsin have invented certain newand useful Improve ments in Fertilizer-Distributors, of which. thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description. l v The inventionrelates to fertilizer dis-- tributers and designs to provide an improvedmechanism or controlling the operation of the several driven mechanismsof the machine, whereby the o orator can quickly, conveniently andconjointly cause the several mechanisms of the machine to be renderedinoperative or operative. and whereby the speed of the traveling apronmay varied.

The invention further designs toprovide a fertilizer distributor ofimproved construction.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of one side of a machineembodying the invention, one of the carrying-wheels being removed. Fig.2 is a similar view of the opposite side of the machine. Fig. 3 is apartial front elevation. Fig. f is a detailof the latch for holding themain-lever in one of its positions. Fig. 5 is a detail of the variablespeed mechanism for driving the apron. Fig. 6 is a rear elevation. Fig.7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a detail view of theclutchshifter for the clutch which operatively connects one of thecarrying-wheels to the beater driving-mechanism.- Fig. 9 is awiew partlyin elevation and partly in section of the beater and the retarder. Fig.10 is a detail of the improved controlling mechanism for the variablespeed apron drivin mechanism. Fig. 11 is a detail section 0- are shifterfor the beater driving mechanism. Fig. 12 is a detail perspective of aportion of the beater.

The improved machine comprises front wheels 10, rear wheels 11 mountedonan axle 12 and a suitable box-body 13'for containing the fertilizer. Thebody may be mounted upon the carrying-wheels in any suitable manner, aswell understood in the art. An endless apron 14;, usually formed ofslats carried by endless chains 15, is mounted-so that its upper reachwill form the bottom" of the body which contains the fertilizer andserves to-feed the material to the distributer v Imechanism or beater atthe'rear thereof, as

well understood in the art. The endless :apron 14 is mounted at itsfront end on sprocket-wheels 16 which are on a shaft 17 -which issuitably journaled at the front of 1 the machine, being adjustable sothe slack in A the apron may be taken up. At its rear, the apron travelsaround and .is mountedto travel on, sprocket-wheels 18 secured to adrive-shaft 19 which is j-ournaledin brackets 20 and 21 secured to thebody 13.

A beater 22 is journaled above and adja- .cent the rear end of thefeed-apron 14, bemg secured to a drive-shaft 23 which is journaled. inbearings 24. secured to the body 13. This beater comprises ends 25pronided with inwardly extending lugs 26, angle bars 27 secured to saidlugs by rivets 28 and beaten teeth 99-. In practice, it is desirablethat these teeth should be firmly secured to the bars 27 and besupportedas nearly as possi ble to their outer ends, so that they willnot readily become broken in operation. To attain this result, the teethare usually l formed of wrought metal, such as square bars, are extendedthrough correspond- 80 ingly shaped perforations in the outer andoircumferentially extending Web 27' of bars 27 and the" inner ends ofthese teeth are flattened,as at 3'1, and secured against the inner faceof the radially extending web or flange 85 27 of bars-27, by bolts onrivets 32. In practice this has been found to be a durablev andinexpensive construction.

A series of retarding teeth. are mounted so they can be raised intoosition above the beater when the machine 1s in o oration and can belowered to a position orwardly of the beater when the machine is beingloaded or the heater is not in operation. The retarder teeth 33' arerigidly secured to a crossbar 341 which extends through and is ivoted inarms 35 which are pivoted to-brac ets-36 on the body 13. Cranks 37 onthe ends of bar 34 respectively are provided with: studs which extendthrough slots 38 in levers 39, respectively, which are pivoted at 10 in'brackets 36. Springs 41 are a plied to arms 37, respectively, by means 0eye-bolts 41" which are pivoted on the studs on cranks 37, extendthrough lugs on levers 39, respectively, and are provided with nuts,springs being applied between said lugs andthe nuts. 7 When the levers39 are operated from the horizontal position illustrated in Fig. 9,

' tively to arms P wheels are turning 1 permit the wheels to travelbackwardly inriving the beater.

dependently of the driving mechanism when the wheels are rotatedbackwardly. One of these 'ving-corinections operates a clutch- .member43-, which is adapted to drive a s rocket-wheel 44 of the mechanism forSaid sprocket-wheel-is rovided with clutch-teeth 44 adapted to e shiftedinto engagement with the teeth on sleeve-member 43, to render said.clutch operative to drive the beater. For this purpose, sproeket-wheel44 is slidably-mounted on the hub 45 of clutch-member 43.

Sprocket-wheel 44 drives a chain 46 which a a ron-ma be driven at drivesprocket-whee be driven as the machine 1s drawn or prodrlves asmallsprocket-wheel 47 secured to a gear 48 which meshes with a inion 49'onthe beater-shaft 23.- Resultant y, when in engagement the clutch-member43 will 44 and the beater-will pelled forwardly.

Mechanism is provided for driving the apron 14 to feed the fertilizer tothe beater, and'this mechanism is adjustable so that the differentspeeds relatively to the beater to vary the feed of fertilizerdistributer thereby. This driving mechanism consists of a main-drivinggear 50 adjacent the carrying-wheel at the side opposite to that atwhich the driving mechamsmfor the beater is located, and whichgear-wheel is provided with three annir larseries of nally along theshaft, so

is driven by one-way connection 42 in-the hub of one of thecarrying-wheels. This teeth 51,52 and 53, each of which is adapted todrive a pinion 54 which is slidably mounted on a shaft 55 in. suchmanner that it may be brought, into engagement with either of saidseries of teeth, or into the channels 56 formed between these series ofteeth, so that the driving mechanism for the apron may be driven atdiiferent relative speeds by said series of teeth respectively and mayalso be rendered inoperative when said gear-wheel 54 is shifted into thechannels between said series of teeth. Pinion 54 is provided with a keyslidably fitted ina groove formed in shaft 55, whereby the pinion may beadjusted longitudithat the latter will be driven when the pinion is inengagement with either of, the series of gear-teeth 51, 52 and 53. Shaft55 has one of its ends which the axle to be operated. For this mountedin a journal 58 formed on a collar 59 which is secured on a bracket 60through 12 extends, and which is secured to the body 13. The rear end ofsaid shaft is mounted in a bearing 61 which is secured to the body 13. Aworm-wheel 62 is secured to'the rear end of shaft 55 and meshes with agear-wheel 63 on the aprondriving shaft 19. hen gear-wheel 54 mesheswith either of the series of teeth 51,

. 52 and 53, the apron will be driven to feed the material to the beaterand when said gear-wheel is disposed between any two series of teeth ofthe gear-wheel 50, the beater will remain stationary. A- shifter 64 isslidably mounted on arod 65, which is secured in a lug 66 on bracket 59and in a projecting lug 66 on journal 61. Said shifter extends into agroove 68 in the hub of gearwheel 54 and serves to shift said gearlongitudinally on its shaft 55, which may be done,

while the shaft is being drivens In practice, it is. desirable, in orderto place the different mechanisms under convenient control of theoperator, that the driving mechanism for the beater and for the apronshould be conjointly controlled, so that when one other will also be andit is also desirable that the retarder should be lowered into osition toguide the loading of the material lnto the body 18 when the beater andapron are not nrpose a maincontrolling lever 69, capabl i of beingoperated by foot action and secured to a crossshaft 70 is in convenientreach of the operator on seat 71. This cross-shaft is connected tocontrol the driving mechanism for the apron, the driving mechanism forthe beater and the retarder, and to lower the latter when said drivingmechanisms are rendered inoperative. done, mechanism is necessary whichwill render the driving mechanism for the apron inoperative when thelatter is being driven by either of the several series of gears ongear-wheel 50 and it is also desirable that this gear-mechanism shouldbe adjustable either while the driving mechanism is either in operatlveor inoperative position so that, when the apron is being driven at anyof its is rendered inoperative, the- In order to permit this to bedifferent speeds and the machine is to be rendered inoperative, and nomatter What )OSltion the gear-wheel 54 may be in relatlvoly to thegear-wheel 50 when the machine is operative,.the gear-wheel 54 may beoperated to render the driving mechanism for the apron operative orinoperative correspondingly to the other mechanisms.

The controlling mechanism for shifting gear 54 by means of main-lever69, comprises an arm 72 rigidly secured to one end of shaft 70, a lever73 pivoted to said arm eccentrically with respectto shaft 70, as at 76,anda rod'74 which extends loosely through i forwardly to bring'thethelower end et' said lever and yieldingly v Leashes .3

gear-teeth,,to render the driving mechanism operative to drive theapron. In shifting.

and" slidably connected 74which engages a nut? 5 on said rod and ;thelewer endof lever 73 to yieldingly op-' crate the rod 74 to bring pinion54 into anagement with the teeth on gear 50. Shift of rod 74 in rearwarddirection by lever 73, y isp'ositively effectedby engagement of theflower end of said lever with apin or abut ment 91 on said rod so thatwhen rod- 74 is shifted backwardly to disengage the gear mechanism forthe; apron, it will beposi- "ti-vely shifted and .when lever'7 3 .ismoved sliding gear 54 into engagement with one of the series of teeth,011 wheel 50, sprin 74 will permit rod 74 to yield to give. t egear-teeth an opportumty to be brought into proper relatlve I positionto permit them to he slipped into engagement, and to avoid possiblebreakage of the teeth from quick operation if the gear-teeth are notrelatively disposed to pass into engagement; The rear endof rod 74' isconnected to the shifter 64 (Fight). fWhen arm 72 is rocked, by means ofsha t '70, and foot-lever"69 fulcrum 76 of lever 73 will be shifted. A.rack-77 is pivoted to arm 72 concentrically with hand-lever 73, M76,

and is provided w 78 which embraces, as. at 79, the'shifter-rod 74, andthisarm serves to control the'handlever relatively to the shifter-rod 74when .Qthe hand-lever is operated by means of arms 72 and foot-lever 69.Hand-lever 73 is also provided with a finger lever controlled spring-pressed locking bolt 80, which is 7 adapted toengage with either of thenotches 81 inrack 77 to lock the lever'in assigned osition relatively tothe rack. When handever 73 is locked in the central notch 81 of rack 77, as shown in Fig. 1, rod 7 4 will hold gear 54 in engagement with thecentral series of teeth 52 ofgear when foot-lever 69, is lowered, and inthe groove 56 outside. of said teeth when the foot-lever is raised.

When hand-lever 73 is locked in the rearmost notch 81 of rack 77,hand-lever 73 Willi .hold rod 74in position to engage the inner.ear-wheel 50 when d, and outwardly of the teeth 53 when the foot-lever69 is raisedn series of teeth 53 of .50 foot-lever 69 is lowere When thehand-lever 73' is locked in the foremost notch 81 of rack 77, "rod'mlwill.

hold the sliding gear 54 in mesh with outer '55 gear-teeth 51 whenfoot-lever 69 is lowered, and outwardly of the gear-wheel 5.0 when thefoot-lever is raised. Res'ultantly, the controlling 'mechanism may beadjusted to cause the drivin to be driven at either of the'diiferentspeeds rovided for, and lever 73 will befshifted bodily by thefoot-lever 69 to render the sliding gear 54 inoperative from meshingwith either of the series of teeth of wheel 50,

es and into mesh with one of said seriesof thereto by a sprmgi ith an"extension or arm mechanism for the apron j of its positions, while ifhand-lever 73 is stroke'of rod 74 would'vary according to the angularposition of the lever relatively to the rod, so that the sliding-gear 54would i l a teeth and might remain or be thrown in engagement with oneseries of teeth when it should be disposed so as not to be engagedthereby. Resultantly, this controlling mechaapron to .be adjusted fordiiferent speeds and to be rendered inoperative while being driven ateither speed, or to be rendered 0p: erative to drive the apron ateitherspeed,

trols the driving mechanism for the beater, and. the adjustment ofxtheretarder. This mechanism also provides for accurate and uniform shift-of the sliding-gear when its connection is ad usted for either speed.

driving I'nec'hamsm comprises an", arm 84 which is secured to one end ofrock-shaft which is operated by foot-lever 69, a rod 85 pivoted to saidarm and extendin which is mounted-to rotate'around bearing bracket 87 ofaxle 12 and-is provided with of sprocket-w eel 44' which is slidablymounted on the hub 45 of the wheel-driven sleeve 43 and is also providedwith cams or spiral ribs 89 on its inner periphery which slide incorresponding shaped rooves 90 on bracket 87 so that when'the shifter86is rowardly by ribs 89 and grooves 99, to'corbring its clutch-teeth 44into engagement teeth on the wheel-drivenmember 43;

The shifting mechanism for the -retarder' comprises a rod 97 at oneside'of the masecured on shaft 70, and a lever 39, and a similar rod'97at the oppositeside of the machine, which is similarly connected to theother lever 39 of the retarder and to an arm 7 2 secured to rock-shaft70.

will be as follows: When main-lever 69 is lowered (Fig. 1), in whichposition it may locked to swing rigidly with arm 72,-the

same when the hand-lever is locked in either not be accurately shiftedbetween the gear-- *nism permits the driving mechanism for the I "bymeans of a'single-lever 69 which also con-- The controlling mechanismfor the beaterp v rearwardly therefrom to ..a clutch-shi ter 86 a rib 87fittin into a groove 89 in the hub tated, it will be shifted inwardly or,outrespondingly 'shift sprocket-wheel 44 to with or to disengage themfrom the clutch I I chine, which 'connectsrock-arm 72 which is I Theoperation of the improved machine movement of the lever by hand ifdesired.

' operative to drive;

v same relation to rod' 74, but operating the cause the apron to clean,one of the gear-rings on'*wheel 50, so that 72, 7 2 thereon will se urerods 97 in position to hold the retarder raised; arm 84 on said shaftwill also hold rod 85 in position to keep "sprocket-wheel 44 connectedwith the Wheel driven clutch-member 43*; and lever 73 which 'isfulcrumed to the arm 72 will hold rod 74 in such position thatslidinggear 54 of the apron driving mechanism, will be operated bygear-wheel 50, when the hand-lever is locked in either of its threepositions. Lever 73 is pivotally connected to said arm 72, and heldagainst pivotal movement by holding-arm 78 and rod 74. When madeinoperative, the operthe heel of his foot, release raise lever 69, andafter initial movement by the toe he may continue the upward Such shiftof the lever will eonjointly oper-- ate the retarder into loweredposition, by means of shaft 70, arms 72, 72, rods 97 and levers 39, theshifter 86 .for the clutch for the beater to render the clutch indrivingsprocket-wheel 44; and by means of lever 73 carried by arm 72, rod 74will shift the sliding-gear 54 out of engagement with the teeth'on wheel50. As the machine is driven forwardly and the lever 69 is in loweredposition, the beater and apron will be driven at the-proper relativespeed. To vary the speed of the-apron, it is merely necessary to releaselock 80 and shift the lever to bring the sliding gear 54 into engagementwith the series of gear-teeth on drive-wheel 50 which will drive theapron at the desired speed. When the main-lever 69 is operated,hand-lever 73 will be moved, bodily while remaining in substantially thelatter longitudinally,.so that a uniform shift or stroke is imparted tosaid rod, which insures the shift of the sliding-gear 54 into or out ofengagement with gear 50 in all of the adjustments of lever 73. 4

It will be observed thatthe -gear-wheel 56" Wheel 11, at one side of themachine, is rotatingand that clutch 44, 43 serves as a throw-oil for thebeater-driving mechanism. An advantage of the structure set forth isthat, when the foot-lever 69has been oper-' ated to render theapron-driving mechanism inoperative, adjusting lever 73 maybe operatedto shift the pinion 54 into mesh with driven while the beater When thisis done, the

the apron will be remains stationary.

apron will be operated, sd that its top lap will' move toward the heaterand in the same direction in whichit is operated to feed the material tothe beater. This operation will itself.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details shownand described,

since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims,without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

-Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and LettersPatent, is: v

1. In a fertilizer distributer, the combination of an apron,variable-speed drivingmechanism for the apron, a beater,drivingmechanism for the beater, a main-lever, a retarder, andconnections whereby said lever will eonjointly contrDlthe operation ofthe retarder, the driving mechamsm for the beater and thedriving-mechanism for the apron, the connection for controlling thevariable speed driving mechanism for the apron comprising an adjustinglever for controlling the speed of the apron.

2. In a fertilizer nation of an apron, variable-speed drivingmechanismfor the apron, a beater, drivingmechanism .for the beater, a main-lever,and connections whereby said lever will conjointly control the operationof the drivingmechanism for the heater and the drivingmechanism for theapron, the connections for controlling the variable-speeddrivingmechanism for the a ron, comprising an ad justing lever for saimechanism.

3. In a machine of the character de: scribed, the combination of anapron, variable-speed driving-'mechanism for the apron,controlling-mechanism for said driving-mechanism, comprising amain-lever, an adjusting lever operatively connected to said main-lever,a connection for the variable-speed mechanism, operated by saidmain-lever through said adjusting-lever, means controlling the movementof the adjusting-lever relatively to the main-lever, when it is shiftedto operate the adjustinglever, to cause bodily shift of the adjusting:lever, a beater, driving-mechanism for the beater, and controlling-meansfor the beateriilriving mechanism, operated by the mainever.

. 4. The combination of an apron, variable.

speed driving-mechanism fonthe apron, controlling-mechanism for thedriving-mechanism, comprising a main-lever, an arm connected to saidlever, an adjusting-lever pivoted to said arm and sustained thereby, aconnection between said variable-s eed driving-mechanism and theadjustingever, and means for controlling the movement of theadjusting-lever relati ely to the arm when the arm is shifted to causebodily shift of the adjusting-lever, a beater, beater-drivin mechanism,and controlling-means-for the beater-driving mechanism, connected'to themain-lever.

5. The combination of an apron, variablespeed driving-mechanism for theaprgn,

desire to secure by operated by the main-lever.

controllingmechanisms I for the driving- 7 mechanism, comprising amainlever, an arm connected to said lever, an adjusting lever pivoted tosaid arm and sustained thereby, a connection between said variablespeeddriving-mechanism and the adjustinglever, means controlled by'saidconnection for controlling the movement of the adjusting-leverrelatively to the arm, a heater, beater-driving mechanism andcontrollingmeans for the beater-driving mechanism,

6. The combination of an apron, variablespeed driving-mechanism for theapron, conby said connection will control the rack to trolling-mechanismfor said driving-mechanism, comprising a mam-lever, an; ad usting-leveroperated by the main-lever, a con-- nection between said lever and thevariablespeed mechanism, arack pivoted concentri-.

callv with the adjusting-lever, a lock between the lever and the rack,means wherecause the adgusting lever to be shifted relatively to andbodilv by-the main-lever, a beater, beater-driving mechanism, andcontrolling-mechanism for the beater-driving mechanism connected to saidmain-lever.

7. The combination of an apron, variablespeed driving-mechanism for theapron,con-

trolling mechanism for the driving-mechanism, comprising a mairrlever,an arm operat'ed by said lever, an adjusting-lever pivoted to said arm,a rod connected to the adjusting-lever, a rack pivoted to moverelatively to said arm, when the arm is oper; ated, an arm between therack and said rod for controlling the movement of the rack relatively tothe arm, a'lock between the rack and the adjusting-lever, a beater,beater-driving mechanism, and controllingmechanism for thebeater-driving mechanism' connected to, and operated by said main-lever.8. The combination of an apron, variablespeed driving-mechanism forthe-apron, con-. said driving-mechtrolling-mechanism for anism,comprising a main-lever, an adjusting-lever having its fulcrumoperatively connected to said main-lever, a connection between theadjusting-lever and the variablespeed mechanism, means for controllingmovement of theadjusting-lever about its fulcrum when it is shifted bythe main-lever to cause bodily shift of the lever, a retarder, andretarder-shifting means connected to, and operated by, said main-lever.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combinatiomof an apron,variable-speed driving-mechanism for' the apron, controlling-mechanismfor said driving-mechanism, comprising a main-lever, an adjustingleveroperatively connected to saida mainlever, a connectionfor thevariable-speed mechanism operated by said mam-lever through saidadjusting-lever, and means for driving mechanism,

controlling the relative movement .of the adjusting-lever when it isshifted by said lever, a beater, driving-mechanism for the beater,controlling mechanism for the beater-driving mechanism operated by themam-lever, a retarder, and retarder shifting mechanism operated by, saidmain-lever.

10. The combination of an apron, variable-speed drivingme chanism forthe apron, controlling mechanism for the driving-mechanism, comprising amain-lever, an arm connected to said lever, an adjusting-lever pivotedto said arm, a connection between said variable-speed driving-mechanismand the adjustingd'ev'er, and means for controlling the pivotal movementof the adjustinglever when it is shifted by the arm, to cause bodilyshift of the adjusting-lever, a beater, beater-driving mechanism,controlling mechanism for the beater-driving mechanism, connected to themain-lever, a retarder, and

retarder-shifting mechanism operated by,

the main-lever.

11. The combination of an apron, vari- I able-speed driving mechanismfor the apron, controlling mechanism for the driving mechanism,comprising a main-lever, an arm connected to said lever, anadjusting-lever pivoted to said arm, a connection between saidvariable-speed driving mechanism and the adjusting-lever, meanscontrolled by said connection for controlling the movement of theadjusting-lever relatively to the arm when the latter is operated, abeater, beaterdriving mechanism, controlling mechanism for thebeater-driving mechanism, operated by the main-lever, a retarder, andretardershifting mechanismv operated by the mainlever. i

12. The combination of an apron, vari able-speed driving mechanism forthe apron,

controlling-mechanism for said drivingmechanism, comprising amain-lever, an adjusting-lever operated by themain-lever, a connectionbetween said adjusting-lever and the variable-speed, mechanism, a rackpivoted concentrically with the adjusting-lever, a

lock between the lever and the rack, means controlled by said connectionfor controlling the rack to cause the lever to be shifted relatively tothe main-lever, an beater, heaterjcontrolling mechanism for thebeater-driving mechanism connected to said'mainelever, a retarder, andretarderishifting mechanism operated by the mainever.

13. In a fertilizer distributer,'the combination of an apron, varlablespeed-driving mechanism for the apron, a beater, drivingmechanism forthe beater, a clutch for controlling the operation of the beater-drivingmechanism, a main lever, connections whereby said lever will conjointlycontrol era tion of the driving-mechanism for t heater and thedriving-mechanism for the.

the oging mechanism may be rendered operative to drive the apron invmaterial thereon said clutch is inoperative to drive the beater.

the direction to move the toward the beater when 14. In a fertilizerdistributer, the combination of an apron, variable speed-drivingmechanism for the apron, a beater; drivingmechanism for the beater, aclutch for controlling the operation of'the beater-driving mechanism, amain lever, and connections whereby said lever will conjointly controlCopies 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe .anism operative when said clutch is inoperative to drive thebeater.

WILLIAM W. CAMERON.

Witnesses:

C. W. DICKINSON, C. F. SUTOR.

Washington, D. 0.

Commissioner of Patents,

